Research is a major weapon in our fight against cardiovascular disease (CVD), the number one cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Nurse researchers have made significant contributions to knowledge discovery in the science of CVD prevention and management interventions to improve cardiovascular health. To ensure that knowledge discovery continues, we need more training programs to attract and prepare promising nurse scientists to careers in cardiovascular health research, especially to function as leaders and members of interdisciplinary research teams. There also is an urgent need to increase the number of nurse scientists at younger stages in their careers. This application requests support for pre- doctoral interdisciplinary research training for nurse scientists to build investigative careers directed at improving our understanding of behavioral, biologic and genomic mechanisms associated with cardiovascular health, illness, risk, and the investigation of interventions designed to prevent or control CVD risk factors and promote cardiovascular health. Through a combination of didactic coursework, directed research residencies, interdisciplinary co-mentorship, skill-building workshops, journal clubs, research seminars, and independent research projects, fellows will develop competencies to conduct state-of-the-art research. Fellows will have the opportunity to select senior research mentors from four research clusters: 1) intervention science (health behavior change, health literacy); 2) research methodology (biostatistics, epidemiology, clinical trials, comparative effectiveness, economic analyses, community based participatory research); 3) biologic science (genetics, markers of inflammation/atherosclerosis, stress); and 4) social science (health disparities, social determinants of health). This training program benefits from the participation of experienced, enthusiastic, committed faculty from the Schools of Nursing, Medicine, and Public Health, who are involved in active, funded research programs in cardiovascular health; the availability of interdisciplinary course offerings and research experiences targeted to achieve competencies in the areas of cardiovascular research; and a strong history of productive NIH-funded interdisciplinary research and training efforts. The specific aims of this training program are to: 1) provide fellows with the in-depth core knowledge and skills to conduct rigorous research in the area of CVD prevention and management; 2) provide intensive research experiences with seasoned mentors conducting research in the prevention and management of CVD; 3) utilize resources throughout the University to assure training across disciplines to develop creative, successful clinical investigators who can lead and participate in research within interdisciplinary teams: and, 4) increase the number of and strengthen the preparation of early career nurse scientists participating in research. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Nurse researchers have made significant contributions to knowledge discovery in the science of CVD prevention and management interventions to improve cardiovascular health. To ensure that knowledge discovery continues, we need more training programs to attract and prepare promising nurse scientists to careers in cardiovascular health research, especially to function as leaders and members of interdisciplinary research teams. This application requests support for pre-doctoral interdisciplinary research training for nurse scientists to build investigative careers directed at improving our understanding of behavioral, biologic and genomic mechanisms associated with cardiovascular health, illness, risk, and the investigation of interventions designed to prevent or control CVD risk factors and promote cardiovascular health.